Being a martial artist who’s trained for over 20 years, meditation has and continues to play a major role in my life. Although a bit difficult to initially get into, it has proven invaluable and has helped me overcome many obstacles in my life that I’m not sure how I would’ve overcome otheriwse. All that being said, I do understand that it may be strange for some to accept that “simply sitting around” can be overly productive.
Fortunately, science back up the activity. Meditation is a practice that has been around for thousands of years, and it has become increasingly popular in recent times. Mindfulness meditation, in particular, involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment, and it can have numerous benefits for our physical, mental, and emotional health. Let’s explore the benefits of mindfulness meditation and see what insights we can provide for anyone who’s never tried it before.
Benefit #1: Reduces Stress and Anxiety
One of the most well-known benefits of meditation – to both veterans and newcomers – is its ability to reduce stress and anxiety. By focusing on the present moment and training our brain to let go of negative thoughts, we can reduce our stress levels and improve our overall well-being. Studies have shown that regular mindfulness meditation can reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, within our bodies.
Benefit #2: Improves Emotional Health
Given that it can reduce stress and anxiety, it makes sense that meditation can also improve our emotional health by helping us develop a more positive outlook on life. When practicing mindfulness, we can learn to let go of emotions such as anger, resentment, and sadness, and replace them with feelings of peace, love, and gratitude. By actively choosing to focus on the good instead of the bad, we can learn to appreciate the good things in life and let go of the bad.
Benefit #3: Enhances Self-Awareness:
Mindfulness meditation can also improve our self-awareness by helping us understand our thoughts and emotions. By processing our thoughts without judgment, we can become more aware of our habitual ways of thinking and how they affect our lives, either positively or negatively. From there, we can begin to make positive changes and improve our relationships with ourselves and with others.
Benefit #4: Boosts Brain Function:
Meditation has been shown to boost brain function in a number of ways. Studies have found that regular meditation can increase gray matter in areas of the brain associated with memory, learning, and emotional regulation. It can also improve focus and concentration, making it easier to complete tasks and stay on track. As strange as that may seem, the brain is like any other part of the body – it must be nurtured and exercised in order to grow.
Benefit #5: Improves Sleep
Meditation can also improve our sleep by helping us relax and let go of racing thoughts. By practicing our meditation before bed, we can calm our minds and prepare our bodies for a restful night’s sleep. This can easily be woven into a nighttime routine, which can amplify its effects if done consistenly. Studies have shown that regular mindfulness meditation can improve sleep quality and duration, leading to greater overall health and well-being.
Benefit #6: Lowers Blood Pressure
High blood pressure – known by some as ‘the silent killer’ – is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. One of the biggest reasons for this is because, as the title implies, it really doesn’t impact us until the large majority of the damage has been done. Regular meditation has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension, reducing the risk of these serious health conditions. By calming the mind and reducing stress, meditation can help our bodies function more efficiently, leading to improved overall health.
Benefit #7: Enhances Relationships
Mindfulness meditation can also enhance our relationships with others by helping us become more present and mindful in our interactions. By practicing compassion and empathy, we can learn to be more understanding and patient with others, improving our relationships with family, friends, and coworkers.
Benefit #8: Easy To Start
While not necessarily a ‘benefit’, it is helpful to know that the above outcomes can be reached without a huge amount of difficulty on your part. In general, the key to learning meditation is very simple. Find a quiet space, set a timer for a short period of time (5-15 minutes), and then try to focus on nothing else but your breathing. Over time, you will become more adept at controlling your thoughts and be able to go for longer periods of time. Eventually, you’ll land on a routine and schedule that works for you while providing the positive outcomes listed above.
Practicing Mindfulness, One Breath At A Time
Meditation is a simple yet powerful practice that can have numerous benefits for our physical, mental, and emotional health. Meditation can improve our lives in countless ways, and takes very little to get started in terms of time and commitment from us. By incorporating regular meditation into our daily routines, we can cultivate greater peace, happiness, and well-being for ourselves in a world that is generally chaotic, stressful and less-focused on health than what we may like.